Charles* is a senior in LUV’s programs in South Sudan. He was orphaned at a young age and spent his early years begging for leftover food, facing regular abuse, and was at high risk to the horrors of human trafficking. 

Yet, today he is thriving and has a world of possibilities ahead of him because of the safety and opportunity provided by you through LUV’s education programs. 

Read from Charles: 

My life situation during the time I was not in school was a difficult life because I lost all my family and there was nobody to take care of me. Then I used to go to the market to beg people in order to save my life, and sometimes I failed to get help. What came to my mind was to go to any restaurant to look for leftovers. It was not easy to get leftovers in any restaurant because other people could beat and abuse us. I was 8 years old when I lost my family. My friends and I used to sleep anywhere that we could find after nightfall because of being parentless, and no one allowed us to sleep at his/her home because of being dirty. Instead, they were calling us thieves. 

Initially, God called me in 2006 when I was found in the market by a woman related to my mother [aunt] and she brought me to NLM as an orphan. I am thankful to God, and I learned that God can protect people from other things like the things that happened to me and I also learned that God has a plan for each and everyone’s life.

Totally, my life has altered from a bad situation to a good one because I am in boarding school now. I eat thrice a day. Also, there is good teaching at our school, which gives me a lot of knowledge. Therefore, I wish to be a doctor to help the people, because God has helped me. Thanks to God in heaven who called Lual Atak and the rest of the other children to a good life of education.

Charles’ story emphasizes why we are so passionate about joining with you to fund an elementary school classroom this month. Not only does the research tell us that education is vital to preventing human trafficking, students regularly share how education has transformed their lives. 

Will you stand up for children like Charles? 

Want to create an even bigger impact? Start a fundraiser and spread LUV.

Let’s use this month of LUV to reclaim the meaning of genuine love and care for the most vulnerable children and women.